My Heart Was Home Again
by In Christ Alone
Summary: 5 Non-cliched, non- OC, original one-shot Christmas stories, for those of you who are tired of cliched plots. Bountiful in love, friendship, snow, and Christmas joy. Real and implied A/H. Hopefully a new holiday tradition for me.
1. My Heart Was Home Again

**"My Heart Was Home Again"**

_So it goes, history shows  
Deserts must expand  
And camels sail like wooden ships  
Like women on the strand  
There's sand on Second Avenue  
And the wind blows like a train  
Taxis light up like a string of pearls  
Around the block again  
_

The world of downtown Dublin seemed to resemble a snow globe: a shield around the setting kept all within it to revel in their security, and all outside to look on in sometimes awe, and sometimes jealousy of the peace encapsulated. The sky was a deep blue, betraying the stars that hid in the midst, outlining the peaks of the buildings surrounding him. Dead, scraggly trees that dared to stand in the bitter winter were adorned with jubilant strings of lights, entwining through the branches and creating webs of light that lit everything in a warm glow. Snow, giving off a night- blue tinge on one side and a golden one on the other, fell in neat pile atop the roofs and along the sides of buildings, running in through the cobblestones like the veins of a leaf. What surface was not covered in Christmas splendor sparkled with slight covering of frost, reflecting the images of passing carolers and late shoppers. The whole square seemed to be radiating a certain homeliness and joy that joined the whole world in union at this time of year. The feelings that stopped everyone in their tracks to drop them in a different world: one of only joy and peace, of remembrance and love.

If anyone looked upon this snow-globe like world, they would all see the beautiful scene, completely missing the sad shadow moving across the view. The shadow moved slowly yet thoroughly, branching off at different intervals to explore different shops, cozy pubs, and old bookstores. But it moved listlessly, as though remembering times gone by, absorbing each emotion as if it were a tangible thing.

These observations, though slightly generalized, were not far from the truth. For indeed, the young man was trying to remember something gone by- himself.

Artemis James Fowl looked very inconspicuous for his normally incongruous self. Instead of the characteristic arrogant look was one of submitted sadness, and instead of the sure walk, he seemed uncertain and remorseful. With his hands shoved into the pockets of his fleece jacket and his slacks-encased legs dragging over the stones, he appeared more the typical teenager than an infamous Fowl.

He paused in front of small pub, pressing his face against the glass, feeling the cold surface battle with the warm heat from the inside. Inside the pub resided the feeling of unity and fun, centered on a small group near the window. The warm lights cast golden streaks across their typical Irish features, lighting the red hair in a fiery glow. Their smiles were bright and their fingers quick as they played their instruments, the music curling around the other residents like wind in flowers. One young lady looked particularly happy, her shoulders and hips swaying to the strokes of her fiddle, her eyes closed to revel in its beauty. Her red hair, loose and curly, fell in beautiful waves about her shoulders and onto her fiddle, making her seem like a fey of old Irish myth.

Artemis continued to stare as her vibrant green eyes opened and pierced through the frosty glass, smiling a wide smile at him, and beckoned him with a nod of her head. His features saddened, and he shook his head, pulling away from the warmth and back into the wind. Her smile shrank, and she watched the shadow move silently away.

_And I remembered everything  
And every windowpane  
Every word came back to me  
The way it used to be_

He walked slowly up the sidewalk, streams of taxi's zooming past him endlessly, throwing slight flakes of snow up at his cold-stained cheek, feeling like little prickles against his skin. He passed the bookstore, with the elderly lady who always passed out hot coffee, passed the tobacco shop, with the stray dog that garnered everyone's attention, and the cupcake store with his favorite cinnamon cupcakes.

He passed all of these, remembering…. Remembering _remembering._ He remembered walking through here every Christmas Eve, as per his tradition. He remembered that he felt truly _happy_ when he passed through here, but he only remembered that it happened. He didn't truly remember. He wasn't _him_ anymore. He was half genetic- petri- dish, and half leftovers. He wasn't _Artemis_ anymore. He was merely a shell of what everyone expected him to be.

He carded a cold hand through his wind-tossed hair. How could he be the old Artemis? It was like reading a book so many times that you could recall every detail, though it had the natural detachment any work of fiction had- you knew it simply didn't exist. Yet he knew Artemis existed, and his memories were carried over to him, yet… it seemed like a book. Or perhaps a dream. It was so real, yet did not exist. How could he be the old Artemis, the one everyone wanted, the one everyone wished for while looking at him pityingly?

He hopped across the street and onto the bridge that protruded from the street like a triumphant finger, pointing to the snow clouds. Shuffling along the edge, he glanced down at the street below him, the cars lighting the night like a stream of pearls. Trees stood stately in the island of the road, their branches adorned with yellow lights, making the snow look all the more festive. People milled about the road, pointing to the distant landscapes of Dublin excitedly. He avoided all of them, floating quietly around like a wraith.

_Then I saw your face across the street  
And my heart was home again_

His gaze flitted to the line of trees, remembering when Artemis found Beckett stuck in one of them, sobbing loudly for his mother. He shook his head, warding off the floods of memories that would come, whether related to the subject at hand or not.

And, as his sharp blue eyes jumped from tree to tree, he froze, one certain trunk drawing his attention and making his vision tunnel, only showing the young lady before him.

Holly stood beside a tree, looking for all the world like a young girl out for the Christmas sights, wrapped in a knee-length wool sweater, large boots, and a white beret, accentuating her red hair and beautiful features that peaked out over the creamy white scarf. The electric lights and the nearby streetlamps threw a myriad of blue and gold tones over her small form, making her rosy cheeks and easy smile stand out. The Christmas splendor seemed to affect her as well, as her step was light and happy as she danced among the trees like one of the fey. Her form flitted in and out of the trees and through the snow, the steady stream seeming to soften to a soft descent as it neared her. She turned, as if sensing his presence, and the brilliant eyes lit brighter, like seeing a long-lost lover.

Slight inklings of memory came flitting through his mind; teasers of memories yet to come. A train. A troll. A man, dying on a restaurant floor. Demons. Numbers, swirling in his vision. A tunnel of magic, surrounding him in motion.

A kiss.

Then a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth for the first time in months, making the cold eyes seem a little warmer, and the skin a little less stony.

And suddenly, his new life seemed a little brighter.

_There's a bus that leaves at 8:15  
And another one at 10:00  
Should I climb aboard, risk everything  
And ride it to the end  
Watch the hills like roller coasters  
Up against the sky  
And wish that you were here by me  
So close that I could die_

Holly sniffed against her scarf, wishing for the world she were coming to the surface for happier reasons. Not that the ritual wasn't happy, but she had made it a tradition, before Artemis _left_ to stop at his mansion for a non chaotic, peace-filled reunion. But ever since he had returned to them, he had been... Different. He seemed more distant and cold, though not like when she had first met him. It was more of a hurt silence that he carried.

He had gone as far as to tell her she wasn't needed. How could she bear that? She, against her own wishes, had come to depend greatly on their friendship. She needed their connection more than any other in her life: it kept her grounded. How could she deal without him?

She stumbled slightly as she bumped into a passing man, giving a hurried apology as he gave her a cordial nod. Around her, shoppers crowding shops, mud men chatting away on their antiquated cell phones... It was the typical city life in Dublin. Of course, she had come prepared for such chaos, dressing like a young human, wanting to get away from life for a small moment. Foaly had practically forced her: he had seen her hitting her breaking point. So he shoved the outfit to her and pushed her out of the shuttle, telling her to take the night off.

The diminutive elf spun around, taking in the sights of the city with wide, slightly fearful eyes. Night pressed down around her, making each light blinding. The world blew past her like a speedy view out of a vehicle. Sound billowed past her like the waves of a storm, cars honking, people talking, feet pounding... It was all so _stifling_. Giving a growl of frustration, she trotted off the sidewalk and across the street, stopping at the bus stop. Few people milled about there- traffic was small at night for buses.

The fates must have had pity on her, for she stood there for a mere five minutes before A small, maroon bus pulled up, driven by a portly elderly woman. She smiled and, in the loud voice that comes from using a hearing aid, and a thick Irish accent, she yelled.

"You wanna a ride, lass? You sure ah a wee little thang." her smile was broad and toothy as Holly climbed aboard, settling into the empty bus at the front row, across from the driver.

"Yes, ma'am. I am older than I look though. Seventeen."

The driver's eyes widened. "Whoa, _missy_! You shore don't look it. Are you sure?"

Holly gave a proper blush. "Yes'm. I'm just short."

A whistle. "Well, I'll be. Forgive me, child, where are my manners. Name's Lori. What's yours, and where to?" she put the bus in gear, pulling from her stop jerkily and sliding forward into the lanes of traffic.

"Holly, ma'am. Too..." she peered forward as she pursed her lips. She shrugged. "Somewhere quiet."

Lori gave a knowing smile, nodding to her. "Downtown it is, then. Prettiest place there is in Dublin. Mind if ask what is wrong? You seem kinda lonesome."

Holly started. This woman was smarter than she looked. While watching the elf bauble head bounce in the window in time with the Christmas music that blared through the radios, she gave her story. Edited, of course.

"My...friend, who lives not far from here, was in an accident, and lost his memories. He would not have been so hurt if he had not been shielding his family... We've been friends through thick and thin, but he does not remember me. It is heart-breaking."

Lori looked sympathetically at her, and reached a gnarled hand around to pat hers. And, in a whisper Holy didn't know was possible for the woman, she spoke.

"You weren't just friends, were you?"

Holly gripped the hand with surprising warmth, until letting it go so she could drive.

"Not to me. I don't know about him."

Lori nodded and stayed silent for a while, seemingly engrossed in an internal dialogue.

Holly leaned her head up against the cool glass pane, the temperature feeling reviving against her skin. A heater up by her ears blasted hot air in a noisy fashion, rivaling even the song in its volume. The seats were soft and fuzzy, with indistinct stains littering it, and the smell of old car hung around her, among some stale perfume. The city passed outside them, lights swirling and streaking across the night as they passed store after store lit brightly for the holidays. The ocean flashed between building, just out of view from their street, but the reflecting ripples revealed the full moon shining atop them, lighting dead branches on the side. The street levels rose and fell with the Irish hills, bringing her high into the night and then down into the festivities.

She felt her movement slow as they pulled to a stop, the car giving whiny moans. Lori looked back towards her with a soft smile.

"This will be a good place for you to think."

Holy nodded and stood up, brushing her lap to rid her jacket of wrinkles, and slid silently down the narrow steps. But before the frosty glass closed, Lori grasped her hand once more.

"Hey, darling. You are a good person, I can tell. And one of the most feeling people I have ever met. And I've seen a lot. So, when I tell you this, keep it to heart. I have learned a lot in my days of driving around much less kind people. Even if the boy doesn't remember you, the heart always remembers. It will find you. He will find you, if not with his mind, with his yearning heart. Help him find you. He wouldn't deserve you, I am sure, but if you love him, then he should not be so unfortunate as to lose that blessing. Good luck, child."

Holly reached and squeezed her hand, giving the woman a smile in return and stepping out into the cold. She watched as the doors closed, stealing her last moments of warmth and drive away, and leading way to the next passing cars. The wreath on the back of the bus jumped and rocked until it was obscured by flurries kicked up from the tires.

_You say love wrecks everything  
And none of us survive  
So I got over you last night  
And I am still alive  
Then I saw your face across the street  
And my heart was home again_

She stepped back from the road side, and turned about to see the city around her. The small pubs and shops seemed to gently sit in the world of snow, lighting a cozy path towards the bridge ahead. She trudged forward, shuffling forward as the snow piled up in front of her shoes and specking her eyelashes in a sticky coating. Her feet carried her across streets and bridges, bearing her way-ward mind that jumped from subject to subject. Eventually she found herself flitting between trees that were lit magnificently. The lights were small and yellow, twining around the stark gray branches, giving the gloomy scene a bright, warm feeling.

She felt a smile tug at her lips as a snowflake landed precariously on the tip of her nose, then falling along with the rest of them, sparkling on its way down. From her short stature, as she stared upwards to the lights, the branches seemed to go on forever, lighting the world with an eternal light that would stretch through the ages and give everyone warm joy like she herself had received.

A giggle escaped her throat; the first one in a very, very long time. Happiness expanded her chest and filled her to the breaking point, goading her to act. So she acted: jumping and twirling in the snow like the child she appeared to be, giggling as snow feathered across her skin, and spinning through the trees.

After a few moments, she sighed, face to the sky and arms stretched out. This was happiness. She was okay. Life would continue spinning, and she would get stronger by the day. Artemis would regain his memories, and this fog they landed in would soon clear.

A slight niggling in her mind caused her to turn around, feeling the slight tickling of a stare on her neck. There, lit warmly by the lights, stood Artemis, a small smile giving his eyes the tenderness that was reserved only for her. Holly's smile stretched further as she let her arms fall to her sides, and then stretched out a hand as if to beckon him.

His steps were wary as he shuffled over to her side. His hand clasped hers tenderly as she tugged him along, spinning him around and around as the snow fell in joyful dances over them.

They would make it. They could regain their past joy and friendship. They just needed… home. Each other.

_And I remembered everything  
And every windowpane  
Every word came back to me  
The way it used to be  
_

_Then I saw your face across the street  
And my heart was home  
And my heart was home  
Again_

**~O~**

* * *

**So, the first one. I will probably post the next one Saturday, and then each Wednesday until Christmas. There are five, after all. And each song will be posted in you-tube links on my profile if you would like to hear them. You see, a few of them are not even about the lyrics: most of them are for the emotion the song inspires. **

**But anyway, this song, 'My Heart Was Home Again' by Celtic Woman, is the song for this chapter, and a flickr picture will be linked. It looks exactly like what I imagine the city to look like. (In fact, it inspired the story, so.. ya.) :) **

**Oh, and if you listen to the song, let me know if you think it sounds like a Christmas song. I think it does, but one of my dear friends ensures me it does not. What think-est thou?**


	2. An Angel

**'An Angel'**

_I wish I had your pair of wings  
Had them last night in my dreams  
I was chasing butterflies  
'Till the sunrise broke my eyes_

The snow fell with a soft, yet stifling wet slap as Artemis shuffled through the piles that already accumulated around the base of the barn. Darkness had descended quite a while ago, leaving each step a guess as to how deep the snow really was. The only light, sans the ghostly moonlight, was the bare flicker of the stable lights reflecting off the virgin snow. The reflections gave an odd bluish quality to any passerby, and lit the genius's pale face like a lantern.

Said face, however, was drawn and taut with sorrow. His eyes seemed to be fathomless pools, yet had a certain hardness that made one not want to look for long. His thin mouth was drawn tightly and his forehead creased, in such a manner that shadowed lines slashed across his forehead. The slow steps dragged forward towards a stall, his hunched shoulders gathering a dusting of snow and pressing down like the weight of the world. A wight rarely seen on a joyful holiday like Christmas.

"Hey Dagda." He said quietly, his gloved hand reaching through the iron rails on the stall window. A small whinny responded, and a soft nose nuzzled his hand as hot breath from the wide nostrils assaulted the exposed skin on his wrist. Dagda nuzzled harder with his forehead and stuck his massive nose as far out as it would go through the opening for feeding, which was just far enough to nip the edge of Artemis's scarf. The horse pulled gently and Artemis chuckled. His hand slid gently down between his large brown eyes and past the small patch of white skin, down the prominent bone leading to his imploring mouth, which was now nibbling on the flap of his breast pocket, hoping for a treat.

"Sorry, Dagda. No treats. I... just needed a walk, I guess."

The horse whickered softly as if sympathizing, and nuzzled his ear. Artemis leaned into the behemoth's neck and sighed, breathing in the unique scent that clung to horses. This was an unflappable friend. This was loyalty: loving someone even if you don't understand them, their motives, or their problems. _This_ was a real friend.

_Unlike Holly_, he thought bitterly, and felt the familiar feeling of utter emptiness fill him, as cold as the swirling wind.

'_Holly…. I am Artemis Fowl. I cannot help it if I steal. It has been grained in me from generations of Fowls.' He said sternly, shutting the laptop before him resolutely._

_She clenched her fists by her side and gave him a stormy look. 'So all those years I put in to make you a better person. All the work so many of your friends and family put in to make you a greater man has all gone to waste now. Oh I see it now, Fowl' she practically spat his name out. _

_He stared firmly at her, eyes as cold as the wind now swirling around the pair, throwing cold glances in their direction, the snow stinging their skin. His cold eyes seemed to glow in comparison to the stark white background of the scenery. Holly's shockingly red hair peeked out from her secure hood and blew about in the breeze. _

'_Yes, Holly. You see it now. If you feel the need to slander the person I am, please refrain from speaking to me. If you think that you can have a pleasant conversation with someone as lowly as myself, than I will converse with you. If not, please leave me be."_

_Her glare matched the snow behind them, blue like a snow leopard and brown like a deep pool. "And if you feel the need to talk down to me like I'm some little stink-worm on your snobby Armani boot, then, yes, I _will_ refrain from speaking to you."_

_She made an about face, the dead grass, yet unburdened with snow, swishing around her feet with a crinkly, frosty sound. About twenty feet from him, she shouted over the rising wind._

_"It's your own D'arvittin' fault, really. You couldn't even bother to try for us, could you?"_

_Without another word she turned, heel digging a crevice into the snow. The snow flitted seemingly through her as she shimmered from view slowly, from foot to head, leaving only the emptiness of betrayal._

_Leaving Artemis, despite the cold features, alone, lost, and confused. _

_Because, really, what can one do when your last spark of decency had just left you?_

_Tonight the sky has glued my eyes  
'Cause what they see's an Angel hive  
I've got to touch that magic star  
And greet the Angels in their hive_

"Dismount right, 20 meters, north."

Behind her, her partner Corporal Vein nodded, his streamlined helmet reflecting Holly's own helmet, and the snow that fell steadily behind them.

"Engage?" The comment came through her headset, though the other soldier, Major Cantue, was hidden in a row of trees, eyeing the 'dismount' with the barrel of a neutrino.

"Denied. No engagement until he is at least at five meters away."

"Until you can see zhe white of zheir eyes." Vein slurred, with a mischievous undertone to his odd, fake accent.

Holly rolled her eyes.

Their target was an escaped sprite, named Colon, who had been mistaken three times for a dressed-up Christmas Caroler. Before the Christmas season he had been discreetly working for a fishing company, with long work hours in the frigid waters of Greenland. He had since traveled over to London for a trade, and was now traipsing through the woods in order to find an oak for the ritual.

His steps were by no means quite, each step bringing the crunching of frost and soft rustle of snow.

_18 meters._

Holly prepped the gun.

_17 meters._

Vein took a deep, raspy breath. _Gods_, it was cold here.

_16 meters._

Colon bent forward, over a rather prickly bush, feeling the bark of a tree. Then he scowled, and continued walking.

_15 meters._

Holly's breathing slowed, a certain calm stealing over her that only came in situations like this.

_14 meters. _

Silence.

Step. Crunch. Step.

_13 meters._

Cantue felt his heart speed up.

_Thud thud. Thud thud._

_12 meters._

He stopped.

And smiled.

"Hello, LEP"

_Sometimes, I wish I were an Angel_  
_Sometimes, I wish I were you_  
_Sometimes, I wish I were an Angel_  
_Sometimes, I wish I were you_

The branches dripped into their path as horse and man strode forward, ice crinkling underfoot and snow softly flitting around their heads. The scene around them was all stark colorings of white and black: the snow piled around the bases of the dead trees in clumps. A blue tinge seemed to permeate the air, lighting all in an ethereal glow.

He felt as dead as the trees, however; feelings dormant and heart ice- encrusted. He had no one left for him. And it was his own bloody fault.

_But he shouldn't need anyone. He was a Fowl, for goodness sake. Why should he even need Holly?_

But he needed that spark. To remind him.

_To remind him of what? That he was weak?_

No. _To_ _remind him_ _that he was human_.

He gripped the reins tighter, welcoming the biting edge in his flesh.

_And all the sweet honey from above_  
_Pour it all over me, sweet love_  
_And while you're flying around my head_  
_Your honey kisses keep me fed_

Sweet honey, her arse.

The ambush had come out of nowhere, with four goblins hiding in spider holes and two sprites in the trees. This, however, should not have been enough to worry three LEP so badly.

Except, for the fact of the 9 mm Glocks in their hands. Which would have looked hilariously large with their hands when they weren't shooting at them.

"Cantue, rear north, engage!"

Holly's shout was hoarse and loud, enough to drive Cantue out of his battle faze and obey. He spun around the two goblins by him and retreated slightly northward until he could comfortably shoot their backs out of firing range. Goblins, being too slow to realize this strategy, were repeatedly shot in the back by Cantue's neutrino.

But they didn't fall.

She looked bewilderedly at them. How had that not stopped them?

Holly blanched at the scene until reality brought her back: Colon jumped forward, his push driving Holly's back into the rough tree before she responded. Her elbow came down in a strong jab to the neck, and she thrust her knee into his abdomen, earning her a heavy grunt. Colon's eyes rolled back slightly as he staggered back, only to be shoved further as the barrel of Holly's neutrino jabbed into his ribcage, letting loose one low-velocity bolt. The shot seemed to have the opposite effect than needed, seeming to pull him out of his pained stupor. His veined winged snapped out and hit Holly's helmet with such force that it flew off, snapping the elf's head back in a painful rush.

Holly fell to the ground with a deadening thud, her vision swimming around her and a heated pulse rushing through her head. As she was struggling to recover, Colon stalked up to her with a cocky smirk. His wings folded in and he sank down beside her, his hand running down her neck salaciously. His touch repulsed her, but she could only merely lie there as her vision tunneled painfully. The fingers eventually started cutting into her neck in thin, painful ribbons.

His fingers slid across her collarbone, seeming to take leisurely time in their ministrations as he cooed softly.

"There there, Holly… calm down. The pain will pass."

Her breathing quickened as his hand lowered, until he got so far that a desperate surge of energy filled her, throwing her body into over-drive. She flung out, her foot making contact with his throat in a forceful throw. He coughed in surprise as he was flung back into the snow, landing on his back.

She was straddling him in no time, knees pressing his arms down and one elbow at his throat. A small hand pressed tightly around his wind pipe at the base of his jaw.

"You make one. More. Move. And I will kill you."

His eyes narrowing, and as she felt his shoulders tense in readiness to throw her off, she squeezed her fingers together, causing him to gasp painfully and writhe beneath her. She held the grip for a mere forty seconds. But those forty seconds did their work, as he crashed into oblivion. As she pulled her hand away, twin bruise sprung up on his neck, oddly reminiscent of fingers.

Her fingers slid back to her lap slowly, numbly. Almost robotically, she stood up, and stepped into the clearing in the fight.

And was assaulted with… Silence.

Complete _deathly_ silence.

She spun in a slow circle, examining the cold forms on the ground with a hazy look.

And before distress could even make it to her brain, the world once again went black. Holly's knees gave out as she sank into the snow, joining the bodies on the ground. Her last conscious thought was one of wondering if she died, would Artemis hate her still?

_I wish I had your pair of wings  
Just like last night in my dreams  
I was lost in paradise  
I wish I'd never opened my eyes_

His ride was slow and mournful, the silence overbearing and the strength quickly depleting. He didn't know how long he had been riding- he was long past caring. Though his fingertips were senseless and his eyelashes flaked with snow, he continued the silent walk.

How had he become so dependent on her? It was a mere few years, and his life had turned to one of chaos, putting all of his plans for the future on hold. Or away. Morals had somehow come into the picture, and now here he was: the supposed-to-be cold-hearted criminal now moaning over the loss of a friend.

How had this happened?

He huffed impatiently as no answers came to him, and tightened his foot's grip on the horse. The behemoth responded by speeding his step to a trot, quickly flitting amongst the trees with a light step.

Soon Artemis's eyes were stinging with tears, whether from wind or emotion, he didn't know. But as his vision blurred, he felt the horse trip, sending head over heels…

Into the snow bank.

He sputtered and coughed, looking over his shoulder at the horse.

"Dagda!" his voice was harsh and rough, with a hint of despair as he sank into the biting snow. The coldness seeped into his pant legs and shoes as icy trails of tears leaked down his cheeks.

His fingers scrabbled at the rough bark, cutting into his numb fingertips and drawing blood. Though he didn't even notice as the lines of blood on the tree followed his finger down, down down…

Artemis curled into himself at the base of the tree, crying quietly into his hands, mourning the loss of what he had worked for for so long.

For an influence that would never be there again.

For a friend that was gone.

__

Sometimes, I wish I were an Angel  
Sometimes, I wish I were you  
Sometimes, I wish I were an Angel  
Sometimes, I wish I were you

The world came to for Holly, taking the form of blank white canvas. She groaned, the sound silent in her battered eardrums, as she rose from her face-down position in the snow. The world around her was a silent snow globe, with only the soft muttering of snowflakes against the icy ground.

She rose on one elbow and slowly turned her head around to examine her surroundings. All was white, save for the indistinct forms of the goblins and sprites on the ground.

One, three, six… eight?

She scrambled up with a shouted curse, throwing off the layer of snow on her back and earning her a violent head rush. She staggered for a moment until she got her bearings, and then sprinted over to the still forms on the ground.

"Vein… Cantue… C'mon…"

She shoved away the chunks of snow, revealing the rather gray face of Corporal Vein, his eyes shut and skin clammy. Holly pressed a hand to his chest and checked his breathing, and felt the slightest wispy rise of his chest.

A sigh rattled through her frame. So, not dead yet.

Obviously, however, something was wrong with the heating agent in his suit. She peeled back the stiff jacket from his shoulders, revealing only a thin white shirt underneath. This she pushed up wards to his armpits, and slid off her gloves, which were still working properly enough to warm him up.

Positioning the gloves on either side of his ribcage, she then pulled all clothing down again and zipped, buckled, and buttoned everything in place.

Holly stood, about to find Cantue, when an incessant ringing (that could have been going on for ages, considering her shot-out hearing) finally burrowed its way into her notice. She looked down at the communicator at her wrist, surprised it still worked. After multiple attempts with numb fingers to open the link, she finally made the connection.

Foaly's voice broke through mid-sentence.

"-Holly Short, if you do not answer this message in the next twenty seconds, I swear, by Frond, I am sending the whole frickan LEP up there to find you. I have called, and called, and called, and called, so _answer_! _Are. You. Alright_."

She blinked at the sudden verbal assault. "Erm, here, Foaly."

A sigh rattled through the speakers. "Oh _gods_, Holly! What happened? I have called six D'arvitin' times!"

"I… We were ambushed… We need medical attention. Vein is unconscious, cold, and barely breathing. Cantue…" she jogged up the slight hill in a loping, clumsy stride. "He's faring better. He's breathing, warm, and drier than us. Looks like he got stunned on the neck however, and is burned pretty badly."

"And… how are you?"

She gathered her breath after the jog, her head still throbbing painfully. "F-fine, Foaly."

She could hear his disbelief.

"Pssht. Ya, and goblins win science awards. I'm calling the medics up now, they should be at your position within the hour. Hang in there until then, 'kay?"

A soft swish sounded as she slid down the bas of a tree, ignoring the slight stretching sound of her uniform. She let out a long breath until the dizziness in her vision subsided slightly.

'Okay, Foaly. I'll be here. Waiting."

The link was terminated before he could respond, Holly's numb fingers hovering over the button shakily. The hand fell to her side as blackness started swirling in her vision, and a terrible enclosing feeling enraptured her.

Moments later, she sunk down into unconsciousness, the snow flitting down around her, coating the black forms in a forgiving, pure blanket.

_But there's danger in the air  
Trying so hard to be unfair  
Danger's in the air  
Trying so hard to give us a scare  
But we're not afraid_

The dreams came slowly. Delirium was setting in at the same rate, making her visits into the conscious world short and vibrant ones, being filled with color and odd thoughts. Sometimes these thoughts would run on almost same lines, sometimes on the lines of past memories. She swore she saw Butler, his face accusing and bloodied, until it morphed into that of a troll and lunged at her. This was only to be quickly replaced by the form of her mom, coming toward her sweetly and kindly, holding her chin and inspecting her wounds. Then blackness.

Holly cried for her mom. She needed her mom; how had she lived this long without? Sobs tore through her in her inky black cage, the only thing existing around her a profound sense of loss. Who did she have? Who did she ever have?

_Well, you _had_ Artemis. But then you shoved him away._

But I couldn't stay, she thought. It wasn't right.

_Why not? _

Because he needed a lesson. He needed to know that he can't keep his friends and keep spitting in their faces.

_Was he really spitting in your face? Or was he just trying to learn the boundaries- you know he can't be changed. Artemis Fowl is Artemis Fowl._

But why did he make it so dang hard? Why did he always rub slat in the wound?

_Maybe he doesn't know any different. His childhood household wasn't exactly the epitome of love. _

Maybe isn't good enough.

_Or is it?_

Silence reigned for eons, sigh t and sound diving in and out of her mind like a ribbon on the wind. What seemed like second s was sometimes hours, and what could have been days were only minutes. The world was a boundless eternity of white swirls and cold knives.

Faces appeared again. Artemis, his stare cold and blank as orange roses flitted across his bare chest. Butler as he shoved her away from him, that fateful night of Artemis's death. Foaly as he _tsked_ in disgust.

Then voices. Those of a troll, seeking its prey. Then her father, calling for his little poppy. Years flew by her in a mirage of pain as she cried into the swirling snow.

Heated hands. Burning fingers, clawing at her neck. Fire licking at her waist, pulling her up into the void of unconsciousness.

_Sometimes, I wish I were an Angel  
Sometimes, I wish I were you  
Sometimes, I wish I were an Angel  
Sometimes, I wish I were you_

The voices came slowly, first in jabs of pain in her barely-held darkness, and then as clear bells pealing in her mind.

"Major Short. Major Short, you've been in an incident in combat. We're lifting you into an ambulance now. Please remain calm."

Holly groaned as she tried to sit up, only to be held back by the restraints of a stretcher. She grasped the Velcro straps at her waist with her secured hands, pulling them off with a terrifyingly loud rip. Doctors swarmed around her, cautioning her with warnings of injuries; but she rose anyway, waving off the neck brace and sitting on the edge of the stretcher. All around her, emergency medical workers rushed around, with some LEP scattered in, recovering the perps and tending to the wounded. She saw Vein sitting up in the back of a vehicle, still ashen but otherwise unharmed. A thick gray blanket was wrapped around his still shivering form.

Cantue was also alright, he curled up against the wheel under Vein, sipping form a mug of sim-coffee to revive his fingers, which he was rubbing along the cup. Holly sighed in relief and leaned back on her hands.

An annoyingly perky nurse trotted up to her, her caramel bun bouncing above her fur-lined, unregulated jacket.

"Major Holly Short, I presume? You look very fine. Only a slight concussion, which your magic mostly took care of. Mr. Colon's wings had a slight dose venom in them, caused by a disorder I hear, and that is probably what brought on any minor hallucinations or delirium."

Holly blinked at her. Minor?

Sensing the soldiers disdain, the elf moved on. "Erm, right. So you are recommended to stay overnight at the General Hospital just for regulation monitoring, but other than that, you are good to go!"

Before the nurse could trot off, Holly grasped her arm. "Where is this Colon? Is he secured?"

She nodded vigorously. "He was restrained right after Fowl checked on you and your comrades."

Holly nodded. "Ah. Okay. Than-"

The full statement hit her. "Artemis is here?"

Janice nodded pleasantly, if with a slight undertone of unease. "He was the first to find you, after Mr. Foaly called him. See, our ambulances and heli-vacs had gotten stuck in the snow, being as they were not quite made for this amount of snow, and so… ya. Mr. Fowl came and found all of you, wrapped you up in blankets and has officially earned your soldiers' trust."

Holly gave a half smile and watched quietly as the nurse ratcheted up the back rest for Holly to recline on.

Artemis…came for her?

She turned slowly in her seat, head swiveling this way and that for her friend.

Some sense of hurt silence emanated from her left, and she bent around the side of the truck to see what lay beyond.

There, stood Artemis, his head bent and arms crossed over his chest. A navy blue scarf flitted slightly about his neck and his black hair was all astray. A pink tinge adorned his cheeks and nose, apparently a wind burn, and white flakes of snow dotted his hair like stars in the night sky.

An awkward silence hung between them as one looked up from her stretcher and the other looked down at his arms.

"Hey."

Her simple statement was spoken to his stiff shoulders, but he glanced over to her, if only ever-so-slightly. She took this as a good sign, as she wrapped some fingers around the edge of the vehicle and pulled her stretcher a little closer.

"Erm… Sorry, Artemis. I'm sorry for what I said. Not just because I… miss you, but… you know."

They stared at each other in silence.

"_Gods_, we suck at apologies." She huffed, carding a hand through her hair.

A smirk wedged its way up onto his face. The shoulders, possibly, relaxed a little more.

"You know what I mean. Seriously, I can't get through apologies. But at least the thought counts. Do you ever just stumble through these? I've never once heard you stumble through your words, ya know. I should really make you…"

She paused, pursing her lips as she realized she was rambling.

"_Gods_." She punctuated this with a flop back onto the back rest.

A slight chuckle sounded from Artemis. " 'Not just because I miss you, but you couldn't do without me?' " He finished for her, his trademark devilish smile on his face.

She laughed and mimed slapping his arm from her position. A sort of peace adorned her features as she beamed up at him, silence reigning for moments between them as the world rushed on around them.

A breath whooshed from her lips as Holly's eyes shut sleepily and naturally. "Merry Christmas, Artemis. Merry… Christmas…"

Later, when Artemis had left and Holly was loaded- fast asleep-into the ambulance, a scarf was found tucked around her cold ears, and a coat draped over her still-smiling form.

_Oh I wish, I wish I were you._

* * *

This one was more a symbolic translation of the lyrics than a literal one, obviously. Hope it makes sense, it was kinda a free-form, take-as-it-flows-kinda work. I am so sorry it took so long in getting up, seeing as I said it would be up Saturday. I have had a very, very, verrryyyy chaotic week so far, and am now using time I should be writing a report over Samhain to write this. So, please enjoy, I am exhausted.

So, once again, song link in profile, next will be next Saturday. Slainte!**_  
_**


End file.
